There are a lot of inspiring African-Americans who made huge impacts in their respective industries; whether it be film, music or sports. They are currently enjoying their massive fortunes in the bank but the road they walked on the way to their success wasn't easy.

Everybody starts from somewhere and hearing about the humble beginnings of your favorite celebrities will inspire you to never give up. Let's take a look at just how wealthy the most famous African-Americans in the world are and let's see what they had to endure to make it to the top.

Jay-Z, $1 Billion - Music

Jay-Z is one of the biggest names in the music industry today and he has been sharing his music with the world for more than two decades already. He started a record label called Roc-A-Fella Records in the mid-'90s then he later became popular after releasing his first album titled Reasonable Doubt.

Music isn't the only thing that made him wealthy for he has engaged in numerous business ventures over the years. Some of the companies he manages are Tidal, Roc Nation, and Aspiro. His current net worth is said to be at $1 billion and his last album was  Everything Is Love.

Michael Jordan, $1.9 Billion - Basketball

If you are a fan of basketball then you surely know who Michael Jordan is. He is one of the most legendary players in NBA history and he had an amazing career with the Chicago Bulls. His six NBA championship wins and numerous endorsement deals made his affluence grow tremendously.

His biggest endorsement has got to be the Air Jordan sneakers by Nike because it is still popular to this day. He is enjoying being retired since his fortune is at a whopping $1.9 billion. Jordan is actually the first NBA player to become a billionaire.

Oprah Winfrey, $2.7 Billion - Entertainment

When talking about the wealthiest African-Americans, it's impossible not to mention Oprah Winfrey. She became an international star thanks to the success of her talk show called The Oprah Winfrey Show. She didn't grow up with a lot of money but her hard work got her places.

Prior to her reign as a successful talk show host, she was a radio host and local evening news co-anchor. Things are going great for her today because she already has her own network called the Oprah Winfrey Network. She doesn't have any financial worries because she's worth a jaw-dropping $2.7 billion.

Robert F. Smith, $5 Billion - Private Equity

Robert F. Smith is one of the richest people you will see on this list because his personal fortune is an estimated $5 billion. He started out as a chemical engineer working for companies like Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Kraft General Foods, and  Air Products & Chemicals.

He got even more wealthy when he became an investment banker for Goldman Sachs but his greatest achievement has got to be launching his own private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. The company's cumulative capital commitments are estimated to be more than $46 billion today.

Folorunsho Alakija, $1 Billion - Business

Folorunsho Alakija might be a billionaire today but would you believe that she was once just an executive secretary? Yes, that's right! She used to work for Sijuade Enterprises then she later got a job at FinBank. Her first taste of financial success was with Supreme Stitches, her own tailoring company.

She isn't only in the fashion industry but she also manages companies like Famfa Oil Limited and DaySpring Property Development. She is considered to be one of the most powerful women in Africa. Alakija puts her wealth to good use and gets to help a lot of people with her non-profit organization called Rose of Sharon Foundation.

Patrice Motsepe, $2.2 Billion - Mining

During the 90s, Patrice Motsepe spent a couple of years working for the Bowman Gilfillan law firm and he was actually their first partner who was black. He got into the mining industry in 1997 and this is where his life changed. He has his own mining company, African Rainbow Minerals.

He also serves as one of the big bosses of companies like Harmony Gold and Sanlam and owns the Mamelodi Sundowns Soccer club. Motsepe is worth $2.2 billion and a fun fact about him is that half of his wealth will be given to charity because he is part of The Giving Pledge.

Morgan Freeman, $250 Million - Acting

Morgan Freeman is a talented actor whose movies have made billions at the box office. He started with stage acting in the '60s, then he eventually moved on to on-screen work during the '70s. Before he pursued acting professionally, his earnings came from working as a transcript clerk.

It takes years before actors make it big in the industry and Freeman's big break came when he gave impressive performances in movies like Driving Miss Daisy and Street Smart. He is worth $250 million today and is still an active actor. In 2020, he will star in The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard.

Lionel Richie, $200 Million - Music

Lionel Richie's music career began in the late '60s when he became part of a group named The Commodores. The group released a lot of hits together but he later wanted to do solo work as well. Fortunately, his solo career was amazing and he released a lot of chart-topping songs.

His worldwide record sales are estimated to be more than 90 million already so it isn't a surprise that he has a $200-million fortune. Richie is far from living a quiet life in retirement and he is actually set to return as a judge on the upcoming season of American Idol that will air in 2020.

Rihanna, $600 Million - Music & Business

Rihanna was already into music while she was still residing in Barbados when she was younger but moving to the United States during the mid-2000s is what opened doors of opportunities for her. After signing with Def Jam Recordings, she released two well-received albums that got her name known.

For the albums that followed, she experimented with different genres and people just fell more and more in love with her music. Fast forward to today, she is a nine-time Grammy Award winner and she is a successful businesswoman as well. Fenty Beauty is her popular cosmetics brand while Fenty is her luxury clothing line. Rihanna is currently set to release a reggae album.

Stevie Wonder, $110 Million - Music

Unlike others who take years before they make it, Stevie Wonder was already enjoying a tremendous amount of success as a young boy. He was a child prodigy who many called Little Stevie Wonder. When he was 13 years old, he had his first No. 1 hit titled Fingertips.

His success continued until he became an adult and he has an outstanding 25 Grammy Awards under his name. His current net worth is estimated to be about $110 million. Back in September of 2019, Stevie Wonder had a kidney transplant.

Dr. Dre, $820 Million - Music & Business

Back in the '80s, Dr. Dre was part of the World Class Wreckin' Cru. He learned a lot from his time with them but he only started gaining popularity as a rapper when he joined the hip hop group called N.W.A. He is one of the reasons the hip hop subgenre called West Coast G-funk became known.

His 1992 album titled The Chronic is what made him a big name in the industry and kickstarted the wealthy lifestyle he has now become accustomed to. He is the proud owner of Beats Electronics and Aftermath Entertainment. Dr. Dre's most recent album was 2015's Compton.

Magic Johnson, $600 Million - Basketball

Another notable basketball player that appears on this list is Magic Johnson. He won a total of five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the NBA Finals MVP and NBA Most Valuable Player thrice. He has been excelling in basketball ever since he was in high school.

Back in 1979, he was the Lakers' first overall pick during the NBA draft. He was still involved with the Lakers even after retiring because he was their Basketball Operations President. He resigned in 2019 as he now wants to focus on being an NBA ambassador. He is currently worth $600 million.

Sean Combs, $885 Million - Music

There are a lot of talented young rappers today but we shouldn't ever forget about the OGs. Sean Combs, also known as, P. Diddy, is one of them and he has been well known in the industry ever since he released his seven-time platinum album called No Way Out.

He previously worked at Uptown Records as a talent director. He got fired at one point and this led to him starting his very own record label called Bad Boy Entertainment. He has been making money continuously over the years through music and his fortune today is $885 million. In 2020, his show titled Making the Band will be making a return.

Aliko Dangote, $13.8 Billion - Business

Can you imagine just how opulent your lifestyle can be if you had a $13.8 billion-fortune? This is the case for Aliko Dangote who became extremely wealthy thanks to the success of his multinational industrial conglomerate, the Dangote Group.

His conglomerate started out as a small trading firm back in the late '70s but its numerous investments got it to where it is today. They are involved in the sugar, flour, cement, gas, and oil industries. Dangote should be proud of his successes because he is currently the wealthiest person of African descent.

Mariah Carey, $520 Million - Music

Not many are aware of this but Mariah Carey's father is African-American. She has earned a worthy spot on this list because she is worth around $520 million today. Signing with Columbia Records in the '90s was the best decision she ever made.

Her debut album launched her into stardom and she has managed to remain a notable figure in the industry since then. Her record sales are estimated to have surpassed 200 million so it's safe to say that bankruptcy is not in her vocabulary. Carey will be going on her All I Want For Christmas Is You tour during the holiday season in 2019.

Tyler Perry, $600 Million - Entertainment

Tyler Perry, who is known for comedy, built his career around his Madea character. He started out working on plays during the '90s but in the 2000s, he was able to make his way to TV and star in his own sitcom titled Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

He was once named entertainment's highest-paid man by Forbes because his salary reached a whopping $130 million. Since 2012, he has been working with the Oprah Winfrey Network and has been creating several scripted series for them. Perry is set to star in a new film titled Those Who Wish Me Dead.

Shaquille O'Neal, $400 Million - Basketball

Shaquille O'Neal was a promising basketball player when he was a teenager but he started to show potential to go pro when he had an amazing run with the basketball team of  Louisiana State University. He was first drafted into Orlando Magic in 1992.

After several subpar years with Magic, he transferred to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and this was when he became a huge NBA star. He won three NBA championships with them and was the Finals MVP in all of them. Outside of basketball, he made a lot of money from rapping, DJ-ing, and starring in reality shows. He is currently worth $400 million.

Tiger Woods, $800 Million - Golf

Tiger Woods is considered to be one of the most popular golfers in the world; well, more like infamous, at one point, because of the infidelity scandal he was part of. He was only 20 years old when he became a professional golf player but he was already achieving a lot during his amateur years.

His first major win was during the Masters Tournament in 1997. Today, he has a total of fifteen major wins. Woods hasn't had major wins in recent years but he made a comeback in 2019 when he won the 2019 Masters. His current fortune is estimated to be $800 million.

Beyoncé Knowles, $400 Million - Music

Beyoncé has become one of the biggest female icons in the music industry and we're sure her music will live on forever. She was already competing in dancing and singing competitions when she was a young girl but being part of the girl group, Destiny's Child, was what brought her fame.

The 2000s took her career to new heights as she started her solo career and was able to build an acting portfolio as well. She has won countless awards over the years and was named the highest-paid black musician ever back in 2014. In 2019, Beyoncé had a starring voice role in The Lion King.

Diana Ross, $250 Million - Music

Diana Ross experienced working as a hairdresser and department store employee before she made it big in the music industry. Joining the Supremes during the '60s is what turned her life around and the group was known as the most successful act of Motown Records.

In 1970, she left the group and pursued a solo career. She released a song titled Ain't No Mountain High Enough and it instantly became a massive hit. Ross isn't stepping away from the limelight yet and it was confirmed in October 2019 that she will be performing in the 2020 Glastonbury Festival.

Master P, $200 Million - Music & Business

Master P was a well-known rapper during the '90s and you might remember him for being part of the group called TRU. He was also successful as a solo artist and had a popular song titled Make 'Em Say Uhh!. He was also able to pursue acting and basketball professionally.

The late 2000s was the best time for him financially because his earnings peaked at $661 million. Today, he is worth around $200 million and has his own record label called No Limit Forever Records. He is also the owner of the Global Mixed Gender Basketball league. Master P acquired the House of Glory wrestling institution in 2019.

Russell Simmons, $340 Million - Business

The impressive growth in Russell Simmons's fortune started when he co-founded Def Jam Recordings back in 1983. He is known as the co-producer of films like The Nutty Professor and Def Jam's How to Be a Player. He later established a prepaid debit card provider and a fashion line.

His lines, Baby Phat and Phat Farm, did well but the Kellwood Company bought his brands from him for $140 million, in 2004. He has been dealing with a lot of indecent assault allegations over the years and it was rumored in 2018 that he sold all his assets and relocated to Bali, Indonesia.

Will Smith, $300 Million - Acting

Will Smith has been a household name in Hollywood for decades now and his stardom isn't fading anytime soon. He was part of a successful rap duo during the '80s but poor wealth management made him enter the '90s with a lot of financial problems.

Fortunately, he was able to rise up from his rough situation after being cast as the lead star in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He starred in a number of box office hits since then and is now worth $300 million. Smith will be starring in Bad Boys for Life in 2020.

Kobe Bryant, $500 Million - Basketball

Kobe Bryant skipped college to focus on his professional career in basketball and this decision worked out well for him. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers for about two decades and was able to win five NBA championships with them.

He is a two-time NBA Finals MVP and an eighteen-time NBA All-Star. His sports career along with the numerous multi-million dollar endorsements he booked helped him grow his fortune to $500 million. Bryant is enjoying his time away from the spotlight and he just welcomed his fourth child with wife Vanessa Laine in 2019.

Steve Harvey, $180 Million - Entertainment

Steve Harvey can afford to live a lavish lifestyle today because of his $180 million-fortune but things were the complete opposite back in the '80s. He was so broke he lived inside his car and he would bathe in swimming pool showers or gas stations.

He was a struggling comedian at that time but becoming the host of It's Showtime at the Apollo opened doors for him. He later got to star in Me and the Boys and The Steve Harvey Show. Harvey maintains a busy hosting career today and you can catch him on shows like Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, and Steve.

Serena Williams, $180 Million - Tennis

Serena Williams is such an amazing woman to watch on and off the court. She is one of the names to beat in the women's tennis scene for she has topped the Women's Tennis Association rankings eight times throughout her career. She was just a young girl when she started training for tennis.

At fourteen years old, she made her professional debut at the Bell Challenge. She has won numerous Grand Slam titles over the years and has become one of the highest-paid players in her field. She currently has a $180 million net worth. Williams competed in the US Open finals in 2019 but she lost to Bianca Andreescu.

Femi Otedola, $1.85 Billion - Business

Femi Otedola is considered to be one of the richest Nigerians in the world. He possesses a fortune of $1.85 billion. His wealth comes from the success of his petroleum products marketing and distribution company named Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.

He thrived in the fuel industry but he also invested in businesses in the finance, real estate, and shipping industries. Otedola decided to sell his company called Forte Oil Plc in 2019 because he is now shifting his focus to his other company, Geregu Power Plc, which is a power company.

Samuel L. Jackson, $250 Million - Acting

Samuel L. Jackson was initially interested in a marine biology career but an unplanned experience with a local acting group made him fall in love with acting. He started acting in plays but he eventually landed big-screen roles in the '70s. His first notable role was in Goodfellas.

These days, almost everyone knows him for playing Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He receives massive paychecks for every film he does so this is why he is worth $250 million already. Jackson is currently set to star in new movies like The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard and The Banker.

Snoop Dogg, $135 Million - Music & Entertainment

Snoop Dogg has been receiving praises for his rapping skills from his peers when he was a teenager but what brought him to the forefront was when Dr. Dre discovered him in the early '90s. He was featured in Dre's album but he eventually released his own album in 1993.

Doggystyle was the title of his debut album and it made him a star. He remained active until today but he has also been making money from acting and hosting. He has had a lot of business ventures throughout the years including his production company Snoopadelic Films. He is worth $135 million today and he just released a new album titled I Wanna Thank Me.

Isabel Dos Santos, $2.2 Billion - Business

Isabel dos Santos is the daughter of José Eduardo dos Santos who was the former President of Angola. Despite having a famous father, she was still able to make a name for herself by becoming a successful businesswoman. She is the first woman in Africa to become a billionaire.

Her first business was said to be a restaurant but she found greater financial success when she acquired stakes in companies like United, Banco BPI, and Zon. Since 2018, Dos Santos has been prosecuted by the Angolan Government due to corruption crimes in the past but sources say she is still exiled in Portugal.